Exercising apparatus



Aug. 18, 1936.

.1. H. CATRON EXERCISING APPARATUS Filed March 19, 1935 FIGUREL.

A TToH/VEY M 'VENTF Ma Patented Aug. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT foi-*FICE EXERCISING APPARATUS John n. canoa willow Glen, onu.' Application Mms 1s, 1935, serial No., 11,804

' y4 claims. (ci. 2v2-co)Y It is one object of the invention to provide exercising apparatus for the several muscles of the body, particularly those of the' head, neck and back.

'It is also an object of the invention Vto provide an apparatus of the character indicated that is mountable on the head of the user and rendered operable by movement thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide an exerciser of the character indicated so constructed and arranged that no material friction may develop between the head of the user and' the apparatus when the same is in use.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an exerciser of the character indicated wherein the reaction forces developed between the exerciser and the head of the user are applied to the head on a plane normal to the vertical axis of rotation of the head and a. substantial `distance below the top of the head. Y

Finally, it is an object of the invention to provide an exerciser of the character indicated that will be economical to manufacture, simple in form and construction, that may be quickly and easily applied to and removed from the head, that consists of few parts, and that is strong, durable, and highly efficient in its practical application.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side View partly broken away of a device embodying my invention in position for use and with parts broken away.

Fig. 2 is an illustration showing the exerelser in use.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a modied form of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the modied form of the invention as disclosed in Fig. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, I show at I a leather helmet encompassing the major portion of the head 2, extending well down over the forehead of the wearer as at 3 and having extensions as 4 directed toward the chin. A chin pad 5 forms a portion of the helmet and is adjustable relative thereto through the medium of strap and buckle connections as 6. The helmet is lined throughout with suitable padding as 1, and is provided with openings as 8 opposite the wearers ears.

At 9 is shown a metal strap structure secured to the helmet by means of rivets I0, portions of the structure crossing at the top of the helmet as at II, and a portion encircling the head at the forehead and provided with an adjustment I2.

Mounted upon the strap structure 9 by means of legs I3 is the outer race of a ball bearing, the

balls being indicated at.:|4`and.the inner race at I5. This outer race I6 mounted as a unitary part of the strap structure and is disposed in axial alignment with theaxis of rotation of the helmet, the inner race rotating freely about said axis. Y

At I 1 is shown a post formed as a unitary part of the inner race I5 and.v rotating therewith. Mounted upon the post I'I'as aunitary part thereof is an arcuate arm I8 extending outwardly and downwardly and terminating in an eye |9 dis-l posed-on approximately the level of the lower portion of the strap structure 9 and adjacent thereto. Connected to the eye |9 by means of a cord or cable 28 is a weight 2|.

In the practieal'application'of thev exerciser the operator "22 stands erect and adjusts the helmet to his head by means ofthe adjustment I2 and the strap andbuckle 6 so'that it is held immovably in place. Byf-linparting `a rotary swinging movement tothe head the weight 2| is caused to travel in a circleA about the operator, ilrst in a relatively low position as shown at 23 'and then in more elevated annular paths as the force a-pplied is increased until it may finally approach or reach the horizontal plane in which the eye I 9 travels.

The cable may of course be of any desired length, and the weight 2| increased or diminished as desired to adapt the device to the physical needs of the operator.

When the weight 2| is travelling in annular path about the body of the operator the centrifugal force developed is applied to the lower end of the arm I8 and conveyed to the helmet I through the medium of the ball bearing I4, |5, I6 and parts I3 and 9 and the pull is resisted by the muscles of the body, particularly those of the neck and back.

Since the weight 2| travels in a complete. circle about the body of the operator it follows that the body muscles are placed under tension and relaxed in rapid succession, the tensional strain exerted depending upon the length of the cable 20, the weight of the mass 2|, and the speed with which the mass is rotated about the body.

An important feature of the structure described is that the arm I8 also functions as a lever in which the force is applied at I9 and in which the fulcrum and weight are embodied in the ball bearing structure. The result of this is that while the rotating mass 2| tends to pull the helmet sidewise on the head and set up a constant friction between the two the downward pressure exerted through the ball bearing fulcrum tends to hold the helmet against movement relative to the Y rrhead.

cable. Y Y Y Y ,It will be notedY that in either of the forms of the invention -hereinY disclosed the mass 2| swings freely frornzthe rotating carrier I8 or 26. When 'Y the centrifugal force developed in the'mass by Y ed at28, at which Y developed.v Y f of the helmet.

of the rotating mass is a movable point andV moves i, Vup and down the axis of rotation of the head as the rotation of the carrier increases due to in,- crease in its speed of rotation it moves upwardly toward a horizontal plane of rotation as indicatpension lies in substantially the center of mass The virtual" point Y of 'suspension the `massi falls and rises. ,Y Y i The portionof the helmet in which the chin of the operator is seated is also an important part of the structure becausecthrough this some of the forces developed as described'are brought to play upon the jaw muscles whereby they are likewise Y .,11; is to be understood, ofY course that while 1 havef herein shown Vand described but twoembodiments ofthe invention, changes in form, con- Y struction, kand method of applicationand oper-V ationA mayY beVw made withinV the scoperof the appended claims,

I claimz, Y, Y Y Y 1'. An exerciser comprising, ahelmet `mountable on the head ofthe operatorV and in substantiallyliixed relation thereto, a rigid'arrn having one end rotatably'secured to the top of said Yhelmet and having its lower free end terminating at 'a point below'the top of said helmet, and a weight member connected to said lower freeV endV of the arm, to cause the arm to exert downward pressure on the helmet and therebyvthevhead of the operatorunder the influence of centrifugalV time its virtual pointfof susable on the head of the operator and in substanforce resultant from movement of the weight member by the head of the operator.

2. An exercser comprising, a helmet mountable on the head of the operator and in substantially fixed relation thereto, an endless track con- 5 nected to the helmet and encircling the latter at a point above the eyes of the operator, a travelerV member associated with'said track and movable thereon, and areaction mass having movable connection'with saidl'traveler member, to cause the traveling memberfto exert downward pressure on Y the helmet and thereby the head of the operator under the influence of centrifugal force resultant ffrom movement of the reaction mass by the head Vofthe operator. 15

3. An exerciser comprising, a helmet mounttially-xed relationV thereto, an arm of Varcuate Vformation having one end rotatably connected with the helmet and extending downwardly over 20 Athe-side thereof and terminating intermediate the top and bottom of the helmet, and a reaction mass connected tothe free end of the arm, to cause the arm to exert downward pressure on the helmet and therebythe head Vof the operator un- 25 der `the influence vof centrifugal force resultant frommovement of the reaction mass bythe head of the operator. f. Y 1

'4. An exerciser including, a supporting struc# ture mountable'onthehead ofthe operator and 30 in substantially fixed `relation thereto, a rigid memberrotatable in operative position with re-v spect to said Vsupporting structure, means Vto connect saidmember to the supporting structure for movement completely about the head ofthe op- JOHN H. cA'rRoN. 

